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Pen Mode
Clicking on the square button next to the text will toggle your selection from RAST/VECT, to RAST, to VECT, and SKIP for the selected color. It is called “Pen Mode” because it is similar to the operation of a pen plotter. Instead of a pen plotter picking up a pen that is the same color as the color of the graphic and drawing the graphic in that color, the laser system applies a Power, Speed, PPI, and Gas Assist (computer controlled air assist models only) setting to the objects in that drawn color.
RAST/VECT will raster engrave color filled graphics OR will vector cut very thin outlines for the selected pen color. This is the default mode of operation and is highly recommended until you become a proficient user of the laser system.
RAST will raster ALL graphics for the selected pen color including fills AND outlines regardless of its line width. If any thin outlines exist in the graphic, they are automatically converted into a raster image.
VECT will ONLY vector cut lines for this color provided that the line width is set as thin as possible in your graphic. It will ignore all raster commands and WILL NOT raster any filled object or thick outlined object that is this color.
SKIP will entirely skip raster and vector artwork drawn in this color. If you assign SKIP to the color “Black”, then bitmapped images WILL NOT print at all.
Gas Assist
This option is ONLY used if you have purchased the computer controlled air assist option. Available settings are LOW, HIGH, GAS, and Manual. Leave this option set to Manual if the laser system does not have this option or if you have standard air assist. For more details on how to use this option, please refer to the operations manual.
Power, Speed, and PPI
To change the power, speed, and/or PPI of a color, position the mouse arrow on the color name and click once with the left mouse button. This will highlight the color and allow the changing of the settings by using the scroll bars or by typing in each setting in the appropriate control box. It is possible to click on more than one color to set them to the same setting at a same time.
POWER Available settings are from 0 to 100%. The power setting is directly related to how deep the engraving will be. The higher the setting, the deeper the engraving or cutting will be and vice-versa. The effect of this setting is mostly linear meaning that 100% power will usually engrave or cut approximately twice as deep as 50% power.
SPEED Available settings are from 0 to 100%. The speed setting controls the movement of the motion system, which guides the focus lens over the application material. Power and speed work together in determining how deep the engraving or cutting will be. Higher power settings and slower speeds will produce deeper results. Keeping the power setting constant and lowering the speed will produce a deeper cut or engraving; increasing the speed will produce a shallower cut or engraving. You might notice that on small objects, engraving or cutting at a faster speed as opposed to a slower speed might not produce a faster engraving time (faster throughput).
Image Density
Engraving time (throughput) is dependent on the size of the graphic and the mechanical ability of the engraver to achieve the chosen speed. If the laser system determines that it cannot achieve the chosen speed, due to graphic size, it will automatically adjust its speed internally to the maximum speed it can achieve. This is evident when you see the motion system automatically slow down while cutting curves or circles as opposed to straight lines. Automatic proportional pulsing (see PPI) of the laser beam will ensure that there is no difference in the depth of cut from straight lines to curves. Keep in mind that depending on the graphic, increasing or decreasing the speed setting will not necessarily process the file faster or slower, respectively.
Print Mode
In this drop down list, you can choose from 4 different printing modes, Normal (default), Clipart, 3D, and Rubber Stamp.
CLIPART MODE This control simulates laser printer output and is very useful if using a drawing with many colors, shades of gray, or many outlines. It is recommended to turn this control ON when using DRAWN clipart because there may be some underlying cutting lines hiding behind filled areas. Having this control ON gives a what-you-see-is-what-you-get output very similar to laser printer output. The entire drawing will be raster engraved, including all outlines, and only the Black color setting is used. The driver automatically turns OFF its color-mapping feature and all colors are engraved as different shades of gray, represented by a halftone pattern. The halftone pattern is based upon the “Quality” setting of the driver the same way grayscale bitmaps are interpreted. Since clipart images use a wide variety of colors, shades, and outlines, the only effective way of engraving these images is to have this control turned ON. Clipart mode also provides greater compatibility with Windows software that does not work well with vector devices such as the laser system. Do not activate this control when printing photographs or bitmapped images; use it ONLY with DRAWN clipart.
3D This feature, in combination with grayscale bitmaps, automatically assigns laser power levels to the shades of gray of the bitmap without converting the image to a halftone. These power settings are based off the setting you entered for the color black, in the printer driver. The darkest shades of gray (black) will be assigned the value of the setting for the black color. The lightest shade of gray (white) will be assigned a 0% power. All shades of gray that fall between black and white will be assigned an appropriate power level that matches the darkness of the color.
Special 3D software is required to produce grayscale images that are compatible with this mode. You cannot just use any grayscale bitmap and expect quality results. Please contact our Applications Department for the latest 3D software recommendations.
RUBBER STAMP This mode causes a “shouldering” effect when raster engraving rubber stamp material or any other material that requires a “shouldered” engraving. The effect looks as if the laser beam engraved the material on an angle, but in actuality it is the precise control of laser power that creates this appearance. This is a “raster only” feature that only works with black colored graphics and uses the power setting of the black color in the printer driver. Vectors are processed normally and can be used for vector engraving or cutting by assigning any of the seven other printer driver colors to the outline desired.
Settings- Load, Save Defaults
LOAD To recall settings that have been previously saved, click on the “Load” button and choose the desired .LAS settings file. The settings that are currently on screen will be replaced by the settings from the .LAS file. You may abort this change by clicking Cancel; clicking OK will approve the change.
SAVE A unique feature of the printer driver is the ability to store all of its settings in a file. By clicking Save, the “Save Engraving Setup” dialog box will appear and will allow you to enter in a file name. All settings will be stored in this file that has a “.LAS” extension. DO NOT rename the extension; the driver will not recognize the file as a laser settings file if it does not have the “.LAS” extension name. These files can be stored in any directory on your hard drive or floppy disks and you can have as many setting files as your disks can hold.
DEFAULT This button will reset the driver settings to the originally installed values.
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